SAN ANTONIO — According to the website Veternarians.org, the search term "puppies for sale" sees a spike in December as families search for the perfect Christmas puppy.
The Better Business Bureau says you need to be aware of online puppy scams.
C. Cervantes wanted to share her story so that others might not fall for a similar scam. Cervantes says she wanted to find a companion for her puppy Valentine. Cervantes' daughter found a puppy online, so she contacted the breeder.
Cervantes says she came to an agreement to purchase a puppy for $500 and have it shipped to Texas. Cervantes says she even signed a contract with the breeder.
The breeder's website looked legitimate, she says, and it even had reviews. Cervantes says she sent the breeder the $500 via PayPal under friends and family.
After sending the $500, she got a text from the shipper. Cervantes says the breeder told her that the breeder dropped the dog off in the wrong crate, so she would have to pay $800. Cervantes called the breeder, and he agreed to pay for half of the cost, but the money would be reimbursed.
Cervantes says she then sent another $425. She says they even tried to get her to pay an additional $3,200 for vet and shot fees, threatening to sue her if she didn't pay the money.
After threatening to report them for theft, she says they stopped responding. The BBB says this is a common scam they see this time of year.
"They may be giving the pet away for free or a deep discount, but they may need to be shipped and therein lies the fraud, the shipping scam," says Jason Meza with BBB San Antonio.
Cervantes says they even got her to post ads of other animals for sale on Craigslist in exchange for waiving the other fees, but they never got the dog.
Cervantes was finally able to find Valentine a partner. This time, however, she drove to Corpus Christi and picked up the dog in person.
"We ask people to never buy a pet without seeing it in person, or the breeder, or the reseller. Always try and visit in person. Always try to ask for a live video chat," Meza said.
The BBB says you can cross check information online. You can also do a reverse Google Image search to see whether the photos were used multiple times. They also say don't send money through a wire transfer or gift cards. Always use a credit card.
For more information and tips about pet scams, click here.